The Shadow
Six weeks into the football season, Alleghany can lay claim.
Pound for pound, the Mountaineers may play in the best region in the state.
A total of 268 public high schools play football across the commonwealth of Virginia, and through last week 34 remain unbeaten.
Six of those 34 compete in the Western Region of the Group 3A classification.
And for the second week in a row, Alleghany goes on the road trying to knock off one of those six — the Northside Vikings.
Four of the six unbeatens, if they can take care of business this week, are set for showdowns on October 18. The third Friday in October sends Northside to Daleville to take on Lord Botetourt, while Western Albemarle travels to Monticello.
Virginia’s unbeatens:
Group 6A: Varina (5-0), Ocean Lakes (5-0), Oscar Smith (5-0), Lake Braddock (5-0), Centreville (5-0)
Group 5A: Salem-Virginia Beach (6-0), L.C. Bird (5-0), Douglas Freeman (5-0), Massaponax (6-0), Tuscarora (5-0), North Stafford (5-0)
Group 4A: Heritage-Newport News (6-0), Churchland (5-0), Phoebus (5-0), Dinwiddie (5-0), Eastern View (5-0), GW-Danville (5-0)
Group 3A: Western Albemarle (5-0), Heritage-Lynchburg (5-0), Northside (6-0), Monticello (5-0), Lord Botetourt (5-0), Stuarts Draft (5-0), Lafayette (5-0)
Group 2A: Giles County (5-0), Riverheads (5-0), Clarke County (5-0)
Group 1A: Honaker (5-0), Haysi (5-0), Fort Chiswell (5-0), Franklin (5-0), Central-Lunenburg (6-0), Rappahannock (5-0), Sussex Central (5-0)
Alleghany at Northside
It’s a brutal two-game stretch for the Mountaineers.
On consecutive Friday nights, Alleghany traveled to Lord Botetourt last week and goes to Northside this Friday.
The two Blue Ridge District powers are a combined 11-0 and have now outscored their opposition 461-74.
“The schedule is what it is,” said Mountie coach Gary Burdette. “The schedule was set a long time ago. Our focus is always Alleghany. If we take care of Alleghany — what we can control — then the rest will have to take care of itself when we play.”
Northside has either won or shared the last four BRD titles and has won 18 of their last 19 district games.
The Vikings are led by talented senior quarterback Dominic Dunnaville.
Dunnaville accounted for five touchdowns last week — three rushing and two passing. On the season, the senior has thrown for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for another 402 yards.
Burdette compared Botetourt to Northside.
“Botetourt is fine to grind it out, but Northside will take shots at you with their speed and athleticism. Not just inside the box, but on the edge,” said Burdette. “The quarterback is as good as you are going to see as an athlete.”
Covington at Craig County
What does a top four ranking in the point ratings get you at the end of the year?
Two home playoff games.
Covington’s 23-16 win over Summers County last week jumped the Cougars from No. 6 to No. 4 in the Group A, Western Region.
It was an important jump for Coach Rod Tenney’s group, a group that is focused on a deep postseason run.
This Friday, after huge home wins over Glenvar and Summers County, Covington travels to Craig County for their Pioneer District opener.
“It’s essential in the playoffs to have as many games at home as possible,” said Tenney. “That makes every Friday night very important.”
Friday’s bus trip to New Castle is a trip home for Tenney, who was the head coach for five seasons with the Rockets and still lives there.
“Those five years were some of the best I’ve had anywhere,” said Tenney. “We had 18 kids one year and we were 5-5 and very, very close to 8-2. Those guys up there know coming in that they are going to play both ways the whole ball game. In order to be successful up there, you have to be a tough kid.”
Cody Dunbar rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns for the Rockets in a loss last week to Roanoke Catholic.
“Our kids really believe in themselves right now,” said Tenney about his group. “We’ve beaten some quality football teams. The kids are playing as hard as you can ask for.”
For The Record
Covington linebacker Austin Waddell was misidentified due to a number change in Saturday’s Virginian Review both in the game story and a picture.
Waddell was in on a key pressure late on the Cougars final defensive stand. Waddell is now wearing jersey No. 61.
